I have a football terminology question.

Since we have drafted Okoye, I have been reading about how he is a three technique tackle. Then, in the interview this morning with Kubiak on 610, I heard Lance ask about Okoye being a 3 tech and what Kubiak plans to do at NT.

Could someone explain what a 3 tech is and how a NT works in a 4-3 defense?

gaps are numbered from shoulder of the center on out...the 3 technique is the guy over the 3 gap (Guard) and generally has to penetrate his gap assignment and the other tackle is generally over the 1 gap and is responsible for the gaps on both sides of his man (two gap tackle) and is generally more responsible to take on blockers and make sure he controls his gap assignments rather than to penetrate and leave his area...the larger the number the further away from the ball.

V nailed it, but here's a link with some graphics that might be a good reference for you. I dunno about you, but pictures always help me with concepts ?
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Gaps and Techniques
In the last few years, it has become common to refer to some defensive linemen as 3-technique tackles. The term is usually thrown around without too much explanation, often by someone who might not know what he is talking about.

The technique being referred to actually specifies a location on the field and the responsibility that goes with that particular location. If a defensive lineman shifts a few feet to the left or right in relation to the offensive line, his duties (and the skills needed to perform them well) change accordingly.

The various field locations are numbered. These numbers are more-or-less universal: everyone from your local high school coach up to Tony Dungy uses the same numbers:

0-Technique: The defender lines up face-to-face with the center.
1-Technique: The defender lines up on the centers outside shoulder.
2-Technique: The defender lines up on the guards inside shoulder.
3-Technique: The defender lines up on the guards outside shoulder, between the guard and the tackle.
4-Technique: The defender lines up on the tackles inside shoulder, though often coaches want 4-technique linemen face-to-face with an offensive tackle.
5-Technique: The defender lines up on the tackles outside shoulder.
6-Technique: The defender lines up on the tight ends inside shoulder or (if there is no tight end) about 1.5 yards wide of the tackle. http://www.footballoutsiders.com/ramblings.php?p=2704&cat=17

Good question, nero. I always appreciate threads regarding football fundamentals, because no matter how much I read and try to absorb, there is always room for more information.

More information from nunu's site that we keep hearing about, too:

One-Gap vs. Two-Gap

As important as the techniques are, gap responsibilities are much more vital to the success of the defense. Depending on the play called and the philosophy of the defensive coordinator, a defensive lineman could be responsible for either one or two gaps.

One-gap responsibility is relatively simple: the defender attacks a hole and must take care of whatever business happens there. He is expected to tackle any running back who goes through that hole, or to force the running back to move laterally into the arms of another tackler. If the offense is passing, the defender’s gap is his route to the quarterback.

Two-gap responsibility requires more discipline on the part of the defender. A defensive tackle may be responsible for both the A and B gaps on his side of the field. His job is not so much to crash through a gap as to read the play, anticipate which gap a running back might choose, and clog it. The two-gap defender must quickly diagnose the blocking scheme to determine which of his gaps is more vulnerable.

hey now DB....we talked about this at herv's draft party. I was gonna demonstrate a one gap technique on Porky...but I donno how that would have worked out on the second floor with porky being so mis-named and all (Porky isn't very porky).

hey now DB....we talked about this at herv's draft party. I was gonna demonstrate a one gap technique on Porky...but I donno how that would have worked out on the second floor with porky being so mis-named and all (Porky isn't very porky).

hey now DB....we talked about this at herv's draft party. I was gonna demonstrate a one gap technique on Porky...but I donno how that would have worked out on the second floor with porky being so mis-named and all (Porky isn't very porky).

Click to expand...

Exactly! And I've impressed my buddies by whooping out that knowledge, too!

I'd have paid good money to see you take off after Porky. But I think he's pretty agile swine and would have given you a good run for the money.

It should also be noted that although teams can move players around to different alignments with different gap responsibilities, such as moving the player that normally lines up as the NT to the 3T position and vice versa, the very different responsibilities of the 2 positions requires that the 2 players have very different skill sets and therefore makes the 2 positions less likely to be easily interchangeable if the players at those positions are the ideal fits for their normal positions. In other words, they can be substituted for each other but they just won't be as effective at each other's position.